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Monday, December 03, 2012
On the path of history's most notorious child abuser
"Nothing, nothing is worth the crime of the abuse of a child" was the heartfelt comment added by a reader to a recent post. Child abuse is currently in the public eye, but the despicable crime has a history stretching back centuries. Tasteless coverage of this sensitive topic must be avoided at all costs; but treating child abuse as the crime that dare not speak its name must also be avoided. So, today's post takes us to France on the path of arguably history's most notorious child abuser. And the reason for writing this post is that the villain is the subject of an undeservedly overlooked oratorio by an acclaimed contemporary composer; a composer who, coincidentally, is a woman.
Prior to becoming probably the most notorious child abusers in history, the Breton knight Gilles de Rais fought alongside Joan of Arc against the English. Born in 1404, Gilles de Rais was heir to a family fortune that included several castles in the west of France; he earned early notoriety by first proposing marriage to a four-year-old orphan girl, and then abducting his cousin and marrying her in secret. After a distinguished military career he retired from army life in 1435 and committed a large part of his fortune to extravagant ecclesiastical activities. These included endowing a foundation dedicated to the Holy Innocents at Machecoul, where the divine offices were celebrated with magnificent holy vestements, splendid sacred vessels, several specially commissioned portative organs, and a choir of young boys. Another venture was a vast theatrical spectacle celebrating the siege of Orléans – where Gilles had fought alongside the Maid of Orléans - which deployed one hundred and forty players in group tableaux. The magnificence of these spectacles was matched only by their cost, and the retired knight's reckless spending precipitated his financial collapse.
For some years Gilles de Rais had dabbled in the then fashionable practice of alchemy. This practice is commonly understood to involve transmuting mercury into gold. But there are two more arcane applications of alchemy. One is its use to attain true wisdom or gnosis by creating 'sophic' gold. This search for gnosis leads to the third and most sinister aspect of alchemy, the transmutation not of base metals but of human souls, and it was this sinister aspect that was the downfall of Gilles de Rais. Having squandered his fortune by reckless spending, the bankrupt knight struck the most terrible deal with the Devil, by offering the souls of children in return for knowledge, power and riches.
By his own confession Gilles de Rais first procured, abused and murdered children in 1432. During the following years his activities escalated and at his trial the number of his abused and murdered victims - girls as well as boys - was estimated at more than two hundred; many of the crimes took place at Tiffauges Castle in the Vendée, which makes the accompanying photos taken by me during a recent visit to Tiffauges chillingly relevant. What happened in these chambers is described in the castle guidebook as "too unbearably gruesome to be recounted in detail". But, elsewhere – and an adult advisory applies to the following passage - Gilles de Rais' biographer tells of lavish banquets, followed by acts of masturbation over the intended victims, dismemberment, decapitation and necrophilia, elsewhere sodomy and cannibalism are mentioned, and in his own confession the murderer talked of sitting on his victims stomachs and taking pleasure in seeing them die. After this the bodies of his young victims were burnt in the castle's fireplace.
In 1440 Gilles de Rais was arrested following a dispute with a priest during the celebration of mass. The subsequent ecclesiastical investigation uncovered his crimes and he was condemned to death and hanged at Nantes. In recent times a number of apologists have questioned his guilt, these include the occultist Aleister Crowley and a 1992 tribunal of Freemasons and French officials. The terrible events of five centuries ago continue to exert a morbid appeal, and it has been suggested that the exploits of Gilles de Rais inspired the French folktale Bluebeard, on which Bela Bartók's based his opera Bluebeard's Castle. But, although noteworthy, that is not the reason I wrote this post.
In 1991 the French Ministry of Culture commissioned composer Edith Canat de Chizy (b. 1950) to write a lyric drama based on Enzo Cormann's dramatic poem recounting the last hours of Gilles de Rais' life. Edith Canat de Chizy studied at the Paris Conservatoire with Maurice Ohana and Ivo Malec; her music is widely performed, and an Aeon CD of her orchestral music includes probably her best known work Yell in a performance by the BBC Symphony Orchestra. Her Tombeau de Gilles de Rais for orchestra, children's and mixed choir, baritone soloist and reciter was first performed in 1993 at the Charterhouse, the experimental arts centre in Villeneuves-les-Avignon , and has been recorded by Disques Pierre Verany. Enzo Cormann's libretto avoids any element of melodrama by taking an allegorical view of Gilles de Rais' last hours between sentence and execution, and it is an ambiguous and non-judgemental portrait that does not pronounce on his motivation or guilt. The excellent sounding recording from the acoustically outstanding L'Arsenal in Metz is available in both CD and MP3 formats, with the price heavily skewed in favour of the download version - amusingly amazon.co.uk categorises the MP3 version as 'Classic Rock'. Edith Canat de Chizy's Tombeau de Gilles de Rais may be topical for all the wrong reasons, but is still very well worth investigating.
Also on Facebook and Twitter. All photos are (c) On An Overgrown Path 2012. No review samples were used in this post and my research trip to the Vendée was self-funded. Report broken links, missing images and errors to - overgrownpath at hotmail dot co dot uk
3 comments:
I presume you meant it was first performed in 1993. Chillingly effective pictures
- 1:31 pm
- Pliable said...
Thanks Patrick, typo now corrected.
- 1:36 pm
- Philip Amos said...
Your reference to "the crime that dare not speak its name" reminded me of another disturbing aspect of this subject. A TV network affiliate in Seattle used to broadcast, signficantly at 6 p.m. on Sunday, a very simple, old-fashioned programme that put me in mind of the BBC half a century ago. A small studio, an audience of anyone who wished to attend, and one or more guests with expertise on the chosen topic. In short, no hysterics, no showmanship. One programme focused on child abuse, and the guests were a man who had been abused as a child and written a book on the subject, the other a female academic psychologist who had likewise written a tome on her research.
What shocked me was that the moderator asked both what percentage of child abusers they would estimate are women. The man answered first and said 45%. The academic said she thought 50%. It is hard to grasp at first, but there followed a litany of vices from mothers who sleep with and sexualize their sons, often when they are barely more than todddlers, to women who put tight elastic bands on boys' penises. There is worse, both sexual abuse and other, but it's not necessary to specify such to make the point.
Of course, like male rape, this is indeed a crime that dare not speak its name. That it is so common yet so under-reported (an understatement) is in no small part because so ingrained in us is the concept of woman as the mothering figure, the nurturer and comforter, and so important in the psyche is this archetype, that children so abused rarely reveal it, and if they do, there is a natural resistance on the part of authorities to believe it.
I had even more reason to accept the figures offered on that programme when I became involved in the prison parole system. In the inmate files you find this commonly mentioned in the psychological assessments. I do recall one particular moment of enlightenment: a man who said that when he was four, his mother stuffed him in a fish tank and then stuck him with pins. I must confess I thought, oh, come on! But I turned the page and there was a document rare in these files: the original social worker's report confirming what the man said.
I found no reviews of either of those books, and it remains now a crime that is rarely spoken of because people cannot accept it.
- 12:21 pm


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As the event capital of the north, Townsville North Queensland is never short of things to see and do. With frequent art exhibitions, concerts, expos, festivals, carnivals and sporting competitions, this region has some top events to pencil in to your calendar all year round.
Whether you prefer spectating or participating, water sports or motor sports, the Townsville North Queensland events calendar is over-flowing with options.
Check out the Townsville North Queensland calendar of events for more.

subset: commoncrawl


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S'more Ice Cream Sandwiches
Total TimePrep: 35 min. + freezing
Makes12-15 servings
- Brownie for Ice Cream Sandwiches
- 4 cups chocolate ice cream, softened
- 1 cup marshmallow creme
- Graham cracker crumbs
- Prepare, bake and cool Brownie for Ice Cream Sandwiches according to recipe directions. Cut brownie in half widthwise.
- Spread ice cream over one brownie half. Spread marshmallow creme over remaining brownie; place over ice cream, marshmallow side down. Cover and freeze for 2 hours or until firm.
- Cut into bars, squares or desired shapes. Dip sides of ice cream sandwiches in graham cracker crumbs. Wrap in plastic. Freeze until serving.
Recommended Video
May 17, 2010
Will I make it again? Maybe. This is a very messy to make dessert and does not come out looking like the picture at all. If I make it again (and I will make IC Sammys for sure) I will NOT soften the ice cream. I will make a double batch of brownie in a 13 x 9 pan lined with parchment. Cool and remove from pan - spread with marshmallow before dealing with the ice cream. Reline the pan and bake second batch of brownie. Cool IN THE PAN, NOT soften the ice cream but remove whole from the box (cut the box away from the ice cream) cut it with a sharp knife and place on top of the brownie in the pan, then top with with marshmallow cream top layer, put the whole thing into the freezer to get hard and THEN cut it, wrap and place back into the freezer. It seems like a little more work but (OK maybe a LOT more work) but the end result will be a lot prettier to serve. Why did I say maybe to making it again? It is SOOOOO RICH that my family couldn't eat the little serving that they received. TOO too sweet.
May 28, 2009
This is an awesome dessert! The kids love to make it.


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Vandetanib to Treat Children and Adolescents With Medullary Thyroid Cancer
|The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Listing a study does not mean it has been evaluated by the U.S. Federal Government. Read our disclaimer for details.
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00514046
Recruitment Status : Active, not recruiting
First Posted : August 9, 2007
Last Update Posted : May 8, 2020
- Study Details
- Tabular View
- Results Submitted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
- Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is common in people with a genetic disorder called multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN).
- Vandetanib is an experimental drug that blocks a defective protein receptor (RET receptor) found on the surface of cancer cells in people with MEN. It is thought that this protein is a primary cause of MTC in people with MEN.
- To study the activity of Vandetanib in children and adolescents with MEN-related MTC by measuring the change in tumor size, in blood levels of proteins produced the tumor (calcitonin and CEA) and in tumor-related diarrhea.
- To determine the safety and tolerability of Vandetanib in children and adolescents.
- To study how the body handles Vandetanib in children and adolescents.
- To determine the effect of Vandetanib on the survival of children and adolescents with MTC.
-Children and adolescents 5 to 18 years of age with MTC whose tumor cannot be surgically removed or has grown back after treatment or has metastasized (spread beyond the thyroid gland).
- Patients take Vandetanib once a day in 28-day cycles. The first patients enrolled in the study are started on a low dose of Vandetanib to determine tolerability.
- Patients have periodic blood tests, electrocardiograms, and blood pressure measurements to look for side effects of Vandetanib.
- Blood tests and imaging scans (MRI, CT, bone and octreoscan) are done every 8 weeks for the first 32 weeks of treatment and then every 16 weeks for the duration of the treatment period.
- Patients who have tumor-related diarrhea keep a daily record of the number and consistency of bowel movements.
|Condition or disease
|Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 2A Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 2B
|Drug: Vandetanib
|Phase 1 Phase 2
|Study Type :
|Interventional (Clinical Trial)
|Actual Enrollment :
|17 participants
|Intervention Model:
|Single Group Assignment
|None (Open Label)
|Primary Purpose:
|Official Title:
|Phase I/II Trial of Vandetanib (ZD6474, ZACTIMA) in Children and Adolescents With Hereditary Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma
|Actual Study Start Date :
|July 20, 2007
|Actual Primary Completion Date :
|December 10, 2019
|Estimated Study Completion Date :
|May 31, 2020
Experimental: Arm 1
Vandetanib administered as a once daily dose, continuously (1 cycle = 28 days) at a dose of 150 mg/m2/d.
Drug: Vandetanib
once daily continuously (28 day cycles)
- MTD [ Time Frame: after 4 weeks of drug ]Safety
- Objective response (CR or PR) [ Time Frame: every odd cycle ]Efficacy
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contacts provided below. For general information, Learn About Clinical Studies.
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|5 Years to 18 Years (Child, Adult)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Age: Participants must be 5 to 18 years of age, inclusive. The first cohort of 3 to 6 participants enrolled on the trial will be at least 13 years of age.
Diagnosis: Hereditary (MEN 2A or MEN 2B) medullary thyroid carcinoma (histologically confirmed) that is unresectable, recurrent or metastatic. Participants must have previously had a characteristic germline mutation in the RET proto-oncogene documented. Results of the germline mutation testing will be obtained from the referring institution.
Participants must have measurable disease as defined in RECIST as the presence of at least one lesion that can be accurately measured in at least one dimension with longest diameter of at least 20 mm using conventional techniques or at least 10 mm with spiral CT scan. Superficial (easily palpable) lymph nodes will be considered measurable.
Participants must be able to take one of theoral formulations of vandetanib.
Prior therapy: There are no standard chemotherapy regimens known to be effective for MTC. Therefore, previously untreated partipants are eligible if their tumor(s) are not surgically resectable.
Participants must be at least 4 weeks from prior surgical procedures and surgical incisions must be healed.
Participants must have had their last fraction of external beam radiation therapy at least 4 weeks prior to enrollment.
Participants must have had their last dose of cytotoxic chemotherapy at least 28 days prior to enrollment, their last dose of biological therapy, such as biological response modifiers (e.g., cytokines), immunomodulatory agents, vaccines, differentiating agents, used to treat their cancer at least 7 days prior to enrollment, their last dose of a monoclonal antibody at least 30 days prior to enrollment, and their last dose of any investigational agent at least 30 days prior to enrollment.
Participants must have received their last dose of short acting colony stimulating factor, such as filgrastim or sargramostim at least 72 hours prior to enrollment and their last dose of long-acting colony stimulating factors, such as PEG-filgrastim at least 7 days prior to enrollment.
Participants must have recovered from the acute toxic effects of prior therapy to a grade 1 (CTCAE v.3.0) level prior to enrollment.
Performance Status: Lansky (for participants 10 years of age or younger) or Karnofsky (for participants older than 10 years) performance score greater than 50
Concomitant Medications:
Participants who have previously had a thyroidectomy should be on thyroid hormone replacement therapy.
Hematological Function: The peripheral absolute neutrophil count must be at least 1,500 micro liters and the platelet count must be at least 100,000 micro liters within 72 hours prior to enrollment.
Coagulation: PT and PTT must not be more than 1.5 x ULN within 72 hours prior to enrollment. PT and PTT should drawn by venipuncture, rather than from a central venous catheter when feasible.
Hepatic Function:
Bilirubin must not be more than 1.5 x ULN and the AST and ALT must not be more than 2.5 x ULN within 72 hours prior to enrollment. AST and ALT may be up to 5 x ULN within 72 hours prior to enrollment in participants with hepatic metastases.
Renal Function: Participants must have an age-adjusted normal serum creatinine or a creatinine clearance of at least 60 ml/min/1.73 m2.
Birth Control: Participants of child-bearing or child-fathering potential must be willing to use a medically effective form of birth control, which includes abstinence, while taking vandetanib and for 2 months after the last dose.
Negative pregnancy test for women of childbearing potential.
Informed Consent: Participants who are 18 years of age or legal guardians of participants who are younger than 18 years must sign an informed consent for the POB Screening Protocol prior to participating in studies required to determine eligibility for this trial. After confirmation of eligibility, participants or legal guardians of minor participants must sign an informed consent document for this trial, indicating that they are aware of the investigational nature of the proposed treatment, the risks and benefits of participating and the alternatives to participating.
Pregnant or breast feeding females because the anti-angiogenic properties of vandetanib may be harmful to the developing fetus or nursing infant.
Participants with pheochromocytoma as evidenced by elevated plasma free metanephrines.
Electrolytes: Participants with a serum potassium less than 3.5 mmol/L or a serum calcium or magnesium below the lower limits of normal. Correction of these electrolyte abnormalities with supplements is allowed.
Participants with a history of arrhythmia (multifocal premature ventricular contractions, bigeminy, trigeminy, ventricular tachycardia, uncontrolled atrial fibrillation, left bundle branch block) that is symptomatic or requires treatment (except for controlled atrial fibrillation)
Participants with a history of congenitally prolonged QTc, a first degree relative with unexplained sudden death under 40 years of age, or a measured QTc (Bazett s correction) longer than 480 msec on ECG. ECGs should be performed after correction of electrolyte abnormalities. Participants with a prolonged QTc should have a repeat ECG at least 24 hour after the first, and the mean of the 2 QTcs should not exceed 480 msec.
Participants who experienced QTc prolongation with other medications requiring discontinuation of that medication.
Participants receiving a medication that has a known risk of QTc prolongation within 14 days (28 days for levomethadyl) of enrollment.
Hypertension: Diastolic blood pressure above the 95% for age on at least 2 of 3 measurements with an appropriate-size cuff or patients who are currently taking anti-hypertensive therapy.
Other clinically severe or uncontrolled systemic illness that could compromise the participants ability to tolerate vandetanib or could compromise study procedures or endpoints.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT00514046
|United States, Maryland
|National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, 9000 Rockville Pike
|Bethesda, Maryland, United States, 20892
|Principal Investigator:
|Brigitte C Widemann, M.D.
|National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Publications automatically indexed to this study by ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (NCT Number):
|Responsible Party:
|National Cancer Institute (NCI)
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|First Posted:
|August 9, 2007 Key Record Dates
|Last Update Posted:
|May 8, 2020
|Last Verified:
|April 23, 2020
|Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product:
|Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product:
Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia
Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma
Molecularly-Targeted Therapy
Thyroid Neoplasms
Endocrine Gland Neoplasms
Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia
Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine
Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 2a
Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 2b
Thyroid Diseases
Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial
Neoplasms by Histologic Type
Endocrine System Diseases
Neoplasms by Site
Head and Neck Neoplasms
Neoplasms, Multiple Primary
Neoplastic Syndromes, Hereditary
Genetic Diseases, Inborn
Neuroendocrine Tumors
Neuroectodermal Tumors
Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal
Neoplasms, Nerve Tissue


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By Erik Kirschbaum
ATHENS, April 28 (Reuters) - On Monday, a 38-year-old geology lecturer hanged himself from a lamp post in Athens and on the same day a 35-year-old priest jumped to his death off his balcony in northern Greece. On Wednesday, a 23-year-old student shot himself in the head.
In a country that has had one of the lowest suicide rates in the world, a surge in the number of suicides in the wake of an economic crisis has shocked and gripped the Mediterranean nation - and its media - before a May 6 election.
The especially grisly death of pharmacist Dimitris Christoulas, who shot himself in the head on a central Athens square because of poverty brought on by the crisis that has put millions out of work, was by far the most dramatic.
Before shooting himself during morning rush hour on April 4 on Syntagma Square across from the Greek parliament building, the 77-year-old pensioner took a moment to jot down a note.
"I see no other solution than this dignified end to my life so I don't find myself fishing through garbage cans for sustenance," wrote Christoulas, who has since become a national symbol of the austerity-induced pain that is squeezing millions.
Greek media have since reported similar suicides almost daily, worsening a sense of gloom going into next week's election, called after Prime Minister Lucas Papademos's interim government completed its mandate to secure a new rescue deal from foreign creditors by cutting spending further.
Some medical experts say this form of political suicide is a reflection of the growing despair and sense of helplessness many feel. But others warn the media may be amplifying the crisis mood with its coverage and numbers may only be up slightly.
"The crisis has triggered a growing sense of guilt, a loss of self-esteem and humiliation for many Greeks," Nikos Sideris, a leading psychoanalyst and author in Athens, told Reuters.
"Greek people don't want to be a burden to anyone and there's this growing sense of helplessness. Some develop an attitude of self-hatred and that leads to self-destruction. That's what's behind the increase in suicide and attempted suicide. We're seeing a whole new category: political suicides."
Police said the geology lecturer, Nikos Polyvos, who hanged himself, was distraught because a teaching job offer had been blocked due to a blanket hiring freeze in the public sector.
Experts say the numbers are relatively low - less than about 600 per year. But increases in suicides, attempted suicides, the use of anti-depressant medication and the need for psychiatric care are causing alarm in a nation unaccustomed to the problems.
Before the financial crisis began wreaking havoc in 2009, Greece had one of the lowest suicide rates in the world - 2.8 per 100,000 inhabitants. There was a 40 percent rise in suicides in the first half of 2010, according to the Health Ministry.
There are no reliable statistics on 2011 but experts say Greece's suicide rate has probably doubled to about 5 per 100,000. That is still far below levels of 34 per 100,000 seen in Finland or 9 per 100,000 in Germany. Attempted suicides and demand for psychiatric help has risen as Greece struggles to cope with the worst economic crisis since World War Two.
Nikiforos Angelopoulos, a professor of psychiatry, has a busy psychotherapy practice in an upmarket Athens neighbourhood. He said the crisis has exacerbated the problems for some already less stable people and estimates that about five percent of his patients have developed problems due to the crisis.
"We're a nation in shock," he said, even though he suspected that it was the media coverage of suicides that had increased dramatically rather than the actual numbers of suicides. He nevertheless says the crisis is behind a notable rise in mental health problems in Greece.
"I had one patient who came in with a severe depression - he owns a furniture making company that got into financial trouble and he had to lay off 20 of his 100 workers," he said. "He couldn't sleep and couldn't eat because of that. He said his good business was being ruined and he couldn't cope anymore."
The furniture maker spent four months in therapy and was also helped by anti-depressants, Angelopoulos said.
"He's better now. He realised what happened just happened. But there are many others who are unstable or psychotic to begin with and the crisis is increasing their anxiety and insecurity."
Angelopoulos, 60, has also suffered himself because about 20 percent of his patients can no longer afford his 100 euro ($130) per hour sessions. Some have asked for a half-price discount while others tell him they simply can't afford to pay anything.
"I never turn people away," he said. "If a patient says to me 'I have no money', I couldn't tell them to go away. I tell them okay you don't have to pay now but remember me later."
There are several possible explanations for Greece's low suicide rate that go beyond the fact that the country has an abundance of sunshine and balmy weather.
To avoid stigmatising their families, some suicidal Greeks deliberately crash their cars, which police often charitably report as accidents. Families often try to cover up a suicide so their loved ones can be buried because the Greek Orthodox church refuses to officiate at burials of people who commit suicide.
Another important factor behind the low suicide rate is that Greeks have extremely close knit families as well as a highly communicative and expressive culture.
"Greece is a country where everyone will talk to you," said Sideris, the Athens psychoanalyst. "You'll always find someone to share your suffering with and someone's always there to help.
"It's not only the good weather. It's the powerful network of support that has made the suicide rate in Greece so low. It's still there but this crisis is still too much for some people."
Many Greeks have also not lost their sense of humour.
Dimitris Nikolopoulos, a 37-year-old salesman, laughed at the idea that the suicide rate was so low because Greeks are well-adjusted and a generally happy people.
"Greeks used to be very happy people because we were living off money that didn't belong to us," he said with a wry smile. "But sometimes you have to face reality. It wasn't our money."


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Somali Pirates Are Now Losing
The targets of Somali pirates are taking countermeasures and the number of ship hijacking has dropped dramatically.
According the UK based "The Economist," from the International Maritime Bureau, the number of attacks off the Horn of Africa dropped from 236 in 2011 to around 72 in 2012.
Now a private navy is giving the pirates cause for pause.
A company called Typhoon will use a mother ship to accompany convoys of merchant vessels. With over 60 armed men on board, the ship will deploy speed boats to cover the commercial ships. There is even talk of using small drones to check Somali "fishing vessels."


text: Nursing professionals are badly needed in today's industry. It's a well-documented fact. What's only starting to be documented is how much good it would do everyone, from patient to provider, to add more permanent RNs to staff. It would reduce existing nurse stress, which would cut facility costs that could be better spent elsewhere and save patients. By reducing burnout, we improve the lives of everyone involved. Continue reading "Reducing Nurse Burnout: A Win-Win Situation"


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A far west suburban firefighter and paramedic who was found dead in her home died as a result of an attack by one of her own dogs, the Kane County sheriff's office said Wednesday.
Dawn Brown, 44, of the 400 block of Jefferson Street in Big Rock, was found dead by her husband at the bottom of the stairs in her home Monday afternoon. The paramedics who responded were her co-workers.
"It's just heartbreaking," said neighbor Mark Hake. "We would see them walking their dogs through town. [They were] very nice people."
Brown and her husband had three dogs; a mastiff, boxer and a pit bull mix breed. It was the 140-pound mastiff who attacked her, officials said.
It's not known what provoked the animal to attack, but Kane County Animal Control now has all three dogs in their custody. The Mastiff was new to the home and was given to the couple by a family member about a week ago.
Brown was a full-time firefighter/paramedic for the Bristol Kendal Fire Protection District and a part-time paramedic for the Big Rock Fire Protection District. Her colleagues at Big Rock were too distraught to speak publicly about Brown on Wednesday. Bunting hung around her photo at Station One, at 103 Beaver St., in Yorkville.
A memorial service has been scheduled for Saturday at 11 a.m. in Big Rock.


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Earlier this year Merck, AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly, and others announced restructuring initiatives to cut costs in the face of disappointing clinical trial results and revenues challenged by generics. On Thursday, Novartis (NYSE:NVS), Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY), and Ariad (NASDAQ: ARIA) jumped on the bandwagon by announcing staff layoffs.
Yesterday, The Boston Globe reported that Novartis (NYSE:NVS)would be cutting 500 jobs across its international research centers as it axes a respiratory disease research site, an oncology program, and a dermatology program. The layoffs are part of a broader restructuring program aimed at curbing some of the company's $2.4 billion in R&D expenses registered in the third quarter. These cuts come after a disappointing quarter for Novartis, which saw year-over-year sales growth of 6% at constant currency aided by multiple sclerosis drug Gilenya, but operating income falling by 2% on a 10% year-over-year increase in R&D expenses.
Instead, Novartis will be focusing operations by adding 175 jobs to its headquarters in the Boston area. The workforce consolidation should help reduce costs as Novartis pushes its late stage pipeline with drugs like serelaxin for the treatment of acute heart failure and ruxolitinib in collaboration with Incyte. Fellow Fool Sean Williams thinks Novartis might be worth a look as a health care dividend play, and if the cost-cutting is effective he might be right.
Bristol-Myers Squibb
Bristol-Myers Squibb has had some disappointment lately, despite a strong third quarter. After patent expiration of Plavix, failed investments in Alzheimer's drug avagacestat and hepatitis C drug BMS-986094, and the disappointing launch of blood thinner Eliquis, Bristol-Myers Squibb is refocusing its R&D efforts for maximal efficiency.
In an emailed statement to Reuters, Bristol-Myers Squibb announced a restructuring initiative that would cut only 1% of R&D costs and 70 jobs, but would reallocate resources to specific areas of expertise. The ax will come down on early stage discovery in diabetes, hepatitis C, and neuroscience. Spared from the cuts will be Bristol-Myers' most exciting segment -- the immunotherapy division -- and a new Alzheimers' drug that takes a very different approach from avagacestat.
Most of the excitement at Bristol-Myers is over immunotherapy drug Yervoy and experimental PD-1 inhibitor nivolumab. They will continue to be a focus of Bristol-Myers' development and marketing strategy.
The last layoff news of the day came from a notably smaller company in Ariad Pharmaceuticals. Ariad received a crushing blow last week when the Food and Drug Administration requested that it temporarily halt sales of leukemia drug Iclusig. A post-commercialization follow up study revealed a disproportionate occurrence of blood clots in treated patients. That sent shares tumbling yet again, contributing to a 88% plunge in October.
Ariad will now be forced to salvage a crippled pipeline, all while coping with the sudden loss of a critical revenue source. Iclusig is being tested in seven of Ariad's eight ongoing phase 2 clinical trials. The fate of those trials is in question, and the company's earnings report on Tuesday should paint a better picture.
What we do know is that Ariad has to start cutting costs if it wants to survive. The first step in doing that is to slash 40% of its workforce across all major departments. That should save Ariad $26 million in 2014. The company did have $332 million in cash and only $7 million in long-term debt at the end of last quarter, but with its real growth driver sitting on the bench, it's make-or-break time for Ariad.
The bottom line
While it's been an amazing 2013 for biotech growth stocks, big pharma has really struggled with the patent cliff and inflated R&D expenses. We're seeing that now, with company after company announcing plans to improve efficiency by restructuring and downsizing. The small companies haven't been immune, either, and failures for little guys like Ariad can be brutal.


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School uniform regulations are always good for a post or two, and often get a good old ding-dong going in the comments between the 'cherish your individuality!' crown and the 'we need standards!' crowd.
Personally, I favour the latter. But then along comes a story that….well…
A schoolgirl who had her hair coloured pink as part of a lesson was later excluded from classes for breaking school rules when the dye did not wash out.
I… What?
Lucyanne Ralph's hair was dyed under the supervision of a teacher during a hair and beauty studies class at Walthamstow Academy in Billet Road just before the Christmas holidays.
OK, ignore the fact that this constitutes an actual lesson these days (it's hard to do, though, isn't it?) and just think on that for a minute. This isn't some stroppy little madam deciding to flaunt the rules, it was done with the schools permission, nay, with their encouragement, as part of their curriculum!!
The school's principal, Emma Skae, said she did not comment on individual pupils and that she hoped to meet with Ms Hughes in an attempt to resolve the matter.
What's to resole, other than to say 'We're very, very sorry, we made a mistake, we're just stupid jobsworths with no more sense than a goldfish'..?
Someone in the comments pops up to claim that this is not what's happened:
ivcurak says…If we are being honest and bring a story to the paper, let's give them the truth. Here is what actually happened. Lucyanne did dye the lower portion of her hair in her lesson using wash out dye. But then why is her hair fully dyed now? Well, that's because she took it upon herself to color the rest in her own time, knowing full well what the consequences were going to be – and here we are. Furethermore, her friend who did the same has accepted that she was wrong and is going to have her hair dyed back to her natural color today – common sense goes a long way, and so does owning up to the real truth.
Hmmm. I don't know. It's all too easy to believe both stories as equally possible these days, isn't it?


text:
KITTERY, Maine — On Saturday March 2 at 7:30 p.m., The Dance Hall in Kittery will transform into a concert hall when two accomplished musicians take the stage to perform their unique interpretation of classic repertoire.
Cellist Brooks Whitehouse and Bassist Paul Sharpe are "Low and Lower," America's #1-selling cello bass duo. The ensemble's performances are a mashup of artistry, virtuosity, and satire. Low and Lower has developed a whole new genre in answer to the question, "Cello and bass ... seriously?" With MacGyver-like determination they create, inspire and commission works using only the limited materials at hand — a cello, a bass, two voices, a sense of humor, a touch of theater, and a willingness to do almost anything.
Since Low and Lower's inception in 2010, they have traveled the country entertaining audiences with cello/bass chestnuts, brave new works, daring arrangements, vocalizing and storytelling. A live video of Lawrence Dillon's "Poke" filmed during their 2012 Alaskan tour has gone viral, spreading across the world from the US to Europe, Africa, South America and the Philippines. The comments on the work and its performance range from "brilliant satire" and "I never laughed so hard in my life" to "Facebook has a piece of classical music written about it …. this world is "#@$#%!"
In the past three months alone, three new works have been written for Low and Lower by composers Joshua Davis, Bruce Tippette and John Allemeier, who's "Undercurrents" they premiered this November on NCSU's Arts NOW series to enthusiastic reviews. This winter they will be touring the northeast, with concerts in Portland and Kittery, ME, and New Hampshire where they will appear on Exeter Academy's Gilbert Concert Series. They will also visit Boston for a studio taping and interview at NPR's WGBH radio. This past summer conductor Robert Moody announced that the Winston-Salem Symphony will lead a national consortium of orchestras to commission a concerto for Low and Lower from Lawrence Dillon. Low and Lower will premiere the work and tour the country with it in 2014/15.
Cellist Brooks Whitehouse has performed throughout the US and abroad, holding Artists-in-Residence positions at SUNY Stony Brook, the Guild Hall in East Hampton, NY, the University of Virginia and The Tanglewood Music Center. As a soloist Whitehouse has appeared with the Boston Pops, the New England Chamber Orchestra, and the Nashua, New Brunswick, Billings, and Owensboro Symphonies. He has appeared in recital throughout the northeastern United States, and his performances have been broadcast on WQXR's "McGraw-Hill Young Artist Showcase", WNYC's "Around New York," and the Australian and Canadian Broadcasting Corporation networks. As guest artist he has appeared with the American Chamber Players, the New Millennium Ensemble, the JU Piano Trio, The Apple Hill Chamber Players, the Atelier Ensemble and the New Zealand String Quartet. Whitehouse has recorded for Bridge Records and the Centaur, CRI, and Innova labels, and is Artist/Professor of Cello at UNCSA.
Paul Sharpe is the Artist-Teacher of Double Bass at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, and is active internationally as an orchestral and chamber musician and as a soloist. In the past several years he has performed in recital and presented master classes at Brazil's International Double Bass Encounter, France's Bass2008, the World Bass Festival in Poland, many national and regional double bass symposiums, the Cleveland Institute, the University of Iowa, the University of Michigan, University of North Texas, and Interlochen Arts Academy. He has performed as soloist with the Anchorage Symphony, Orquestra de Camara Theatro Sao Pedro (Porto Allegre, Brazil), Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival Orchestra, Lubbock Symphony Orchestra, Dallas Chamber Orchestra, and Aspen Young Artists Orchestra, and greatly enjoys performing with the eclectic bass quartet, "Bad Boys of Double Bass." Prior to his appointment at UNCSA, he was a tenured professor at Texas Tech University, adjunct faculty at University of North Texas, and an instructor at Augustana College (Rock Island, IL), and the Preucil School of Music. His principal teachers are Jeff Bradetich and Diana Gannett.
Tickets are $15 in advance and $18 at the door. For tickets: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/330777
For more information: www.thedancehallkittery.org; 207-703-2083


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Helping with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)- Primary Schools
Ref: C3744931
Due to face to face teaching being suspended unfortunately this course is not currently available for enrolment.
We are launching a range of online courses shortly that may be of interest to you so sign up here to hear more.
The course seeks to enable students to explore the wide range of special educational needs and disabilities that children may have. Students will develop the knowledge and understanding that those working in a school setting will need to support children with SEND in a primary school either in a paid capacity or as a volunteer. Students will work towards gaining a Level 2 qualification which is suitable for those wishing to gain employment in a school, work as a volunteer or for those already working in a school setting with children and young people.
Course aim
To explore a range of special educational needs and disabilities, to equip students with the knowledge, skills and understanding to support pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, to understan legislation, structures and policies.
Do I need any particular skills or experience?
- You will need to talk to a member of staff and do a short activity to make sure the course is right for you. For more information and to book an appointment please call 0300 303 3464
- Students need a Level 1 qualification in English to join this course
- You need to work as a volunteer in a childcare setting if you aim to move into employment for 20 hours over the duration of the course. If you are not volunteering you may need to carry out some additional course work.
By the end of the course I should be able to:
- Understand the current regulatory framework in relation to primary aged children with SEND
- Understand the responsibilities of mainstream and special schools to meet the range and degree of SEND
- Understand the concept of inclusion when working with children with SEND
- Understand current approaches to behavioural issues, including children with SEND
- Understand how to offer support to children with SEND
How will I be taught?
- The WEA tutor will use a range of different teaching and learning methods and encourage you and the group to be actively involved in your learning
- You will be expected to carry out a range of activities in your own time
What kind of feedback can I expect?
- A range of informal activities will be used by the tutor to see what you are learning which may include quizzes, question and answer, small projects and discussion
- You will have opportunities to discuss your progress with your tutor
- A file of work will be kept which will help to record your progress
- There will be a number of tasks appropriate to your course such as written work, creating art or craft, video, photography or small projects. Some of these may be marked to help you progress
What else do I need to know?
- It would be helpful if you had access to the internet (Mobile phone, tablet or computer at home or through a library etc.)
- Students will require writing materials, paper and an A4 folder to present their completed work. All other materials will be provided
Pre-course work, reading and information sources
- Tutors will suggest additional resources as each unit is addressed The Governments website for educational matters is a valuable resource www.education.gov.uk
What can I do next?
- Progress to another WEA course
- This course could lead to a range of job opportunities. Follow link to National Careers Service for more details https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/
- Become involved as a volunteer for a WEA partner or another organisation
- You could progress to Higher Education courses. Follow link to the PEARL website for information http://pearl.open.ac.uk/
- Access the WEA What Next? booklet here http://www.wea.org.uk/learn-wea/what-can-i-do-next
Download full course information sheet
Helping with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)- Primary Schools
Due to face to face teaching being suspended unfortunately this course is not currently available for enrolment.
We are launching a range of online courses shortly that may be of interest to you so sign up here to hear more.


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text:
"But I thought–"
"I said that in case they were listening."
"Cluing me in on your plans might be nice." She stepped between the trees and around the large rock they'd grown around.
"No time. Can we talk about this later?"
"I'm supposed to be the big time DEA agent and Mr. Rancher over here is…" Beth mumbled as she led the way.
Maybe it was time to admit that he liked her more than just a little. But this was not the time or the place to admit it to her. A rock fell and hit his shoulder.
"Beth." He pointed up and behind them. "They're coming down."
"Then we need to move faster. Take the lead. I don't suppose there's a cave or even a…a large crevice close by that we can use for cover?"
"Put your gun away. You need both hands for this. Stay close so I can get to you if you slip."
On a normal day, it would take several hours to just walk down the road to the bottom of this mesa. Coming straight down the side was dangerous. Very dangerous. They moved in silence. Breathing hard. No time for water. Their legs working overtime battling the steep descent.
Beth's legs were already sore from riding yesterday. She skidded, let out an "oh no" and her hand landed in the middle of his back. He braced himself at her warning, catching a solid foothold and grip.
"These boots were not made for climbing." She brushed off the near fall with words, but she was stiff against the rock face.
"You might lose one or two of those rhinestones," he teased.
"We might fall to the bottom. Do you think I'd be better off climbing barefoot?"
"Better keep `em on." He smiled and knew he needed to quit teasing. He should be serious. They were in deep trouble with no way out.
An avalanche of emotion dropped on his head like the rocks above them could at any moment. Thinking about the woman instead of the problem was a sure sign he liked Beth…a lot. Maybe too much.
He anchored himself and held out his hand, ready for her to come to him. She hesitated, barely raising her arm. He latched onto her fingers and her feet moved slowly. He waited. Bodies close together, eyes level with his and wide with curiosity. A ray of sun broke through the clouds and turned them several shades lighter.
Men–bad men–were chasing them down a mountain.
There was no place to hide. Nowhere to escape.
What did he do? He kissed her.
Not a good-bye. Not an invitation. Not just because she was close.
His girl was in his arms and her lips were smooth against his parched ones. Their tongues did a short dance and he felt more confident. She restored something in him that had been missing the past year. He lifted his head, unable to help the smile that spread across his face. He expected a stern set down from her about how they were in a hurry.
But, shoot, from the way she looked at him, maybe he'd given something back to her, too.
The wide-eyed moment was gone. She looked up and behind them, steadying herself with her hands on his shoulders. "We should probably get…"
"Moving. Right. You going to be okay?" he asked, really curious if the near fall had bothered her as much as the thought of losing her had bothered him.
Small rocks skittered past their heads. "Great. More than great. Excellent. Let's go while we can."
"Is that me? Am I your asset?"
"Of course you are."
"Beth, I've told you this before. I can look after myself."
And just like it had been scripted, he heard the lone shot of a gun and zipped back to the cliff wall, covering Beth's body.
"There's something to be said about perfect timing." Beth drew her handgun from its holster.
"My father always says timing is the essence of all comedy, but there is nothing funny about getting shot. Nada."


text:
Started off Friday night with a friend's "House Farewell" party. The theme was "From the History Books". Must say there were some very good costumes. But my favourite was my brother's Elvis suit. Goodness me, I never ever thought I would see G in a full piece tight ass white suit. DH and I went as Bonnie & Clyde. Even though I had almost no voice left (from having this darn flu), we still had a good time.
Saturday was McKenna's official first Birthday Party. It was a Clamber Club party. Such fun. They set up obstacle courses for the kids. Everyone had a blast. Up and down, round about. Think they all got a good work out.
Half way through the party…. My heart nearly stopped….. McK was bouncing on this bouncy ball thing. It slipped out of her control and she fell quite hard on her bum. She let out this scream, so I run to pick her up. Once we get back to the seating area, I try to get her to stand. But she just collapsed. I was still trying to hold her up, I looked at her and her eyes were big and glazed over. She was out of it for like 5 seconds. (Felt like 20 minutes to my mommy heart). I shouted at her, and then she let out a scream. 10 minutes later she was back out playing and singing with the rest of the kids. Now I have no idea what the hell just happened. But I got the fright of my life. She must just have had a "shock reaction" or DH said, maybe with the fall she pinched a nerve. I've been keeping an eye on her, but she is perfect. I will just never forget her face. I could hardly sleep last night, the whole scene kept replaying in my head. Everyone has convinced me that she is ok. I'm sure she is.
Today we had another Birthday party. Another friend of Mck's. WOW!!! They had a "Party Bus" for the kids. Totally awesome. It takes about 25 kids. They go driving around the block, singing songs. Then all the kids get their faces painted. On the bus they have Cotton Candy and Pop corn machines. Also a "slush puppy" (snow cones) machine. If the jumping castle wasn't enough, they also were entertained by a puppet show. We are so doing the Party Bus for McK's 5th Bday next year. Although browsing through their brochure, I'm quite keen on the "Foam Party". Might have to do that for my bday.
All 3 of us are dead tired. DH has made some popcorn, so let me be off.... going to watch a movie...
Sunday, August 31, 2008
What a weekend we had…….
Started off Friday night with a friend's "House Farewell" party. The theme was "From the History Books". Must say there were some very good costumes. But my favourite was my brother's Elvis suit. Goodness me, I never ever thought I would see G in a full piece tight ass white suit. DH and I went as Bonnie & Clyde. Even though I had almost no voice left (from having this darn flu), we still had a good time.
Posted by Making Babies at 7:21 PM 0 comments
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Told you so.....
Posted by Making Babies at 2:59 PM 0 comments
Do I get irritated when our sites go down for "routine maintenance"…? YES!!! Especially when I woke up with all these ideas of what I wanted to do today. I psyche myself up and skip into the office so excited. Only to find a "sorry we are down for maintenance".
Can't they do maintenance during the night, when I don't want to work???????
In other TTC related news. Our little break is turning into a something else. I have started with the OPKs, I'm almost certain I'll get a positive today. Also going to start using Pre~Seed as soon as I get the + OPK.
Did I mention that I've come down with the flu of some sorts? Weird. Not so much flu but this nasty cough and sore throat. I bought some cough syrup, yes the one that only contains Guaifenesien… It will help with my chest and that other area too……. ;-)
Oh, and I have to mention how freaking adorable my daughter is getting. I love this age. 4 and a bit. She is just so lovable. And CLEVER!! The things she comes up with and her reasoning behind everything is so amazing.
Posted by Making Babies at 9:36 AM 0 comments
Monday, August 25, 2008
I'm so very excited to report that from today I'll be POAS again. Yes, it's OPK time again. Now I don't know whether I'm excited about the actual OPK and the fact that it shows you your LH surge and when you are going to ovulate… or the actual act of peeing on something again. Yeah I know….. you don't even have to say it.
I was thinking of going the Pre~Seed route this time too. But we'll see. I also remembered that you can actually use raw egg whites as a lube. Now I love eggs, but really I prefer eggs on toast than up my hoo-haa….
It's such an exciting week ahead. I should O between Wednesday and Friday.
Oh, our date night was LOVELY. Had a really good time. We should so do it more often!! Can't give too many details, as some things should just be kept private…. And besides my dad reads this blog too………..
Posted by Making Babies at 11:21 AM 0 comments
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Oh come on....
You got to be kidding me... where is the camera?? I'm sure I must be on some sort of show....
Today's snippet of my star sign.... I think I need to unsubscribe to this service, it's driving me insane...
You'll be impossible to control, satisfy or stifle -- but please do take mercy on the diners at the next table who were probably hoping for a nice, quiet dinner out.
DH is taking me out tonight, "date night"..... LOL.... hope I don't upset anyone......
DH and I haven't been out together, alone, for almost a year... yes a year... sure we have been out to gigs and parties together..... but not ALONE, just the two of us. (Now I'm singing that song... just the two of us, we can make it if we try, just the two of us.....)
He wanted to take me out for a nice romantic dinner, but I've convinced him to rather take me to our favourite pub instead. I've been dying for their Chilli Nacho's for quite some time now.
Posted by Making Babies at 8:59 AM 1 comments
Friday, August 22, 2008
You have a headache, you didn't sleep well last night and everyone seems to want something from you. Just this once, refuse. Even omnipotent multitaskers are entitled to downtime. This definitely wouldn't be the best day to make that major pitch to the boss. Come up with a creative excuse, rework the idea, then give 'em hell
Yes another "today's star sign". I swear someone is spying on me. I got to start checking my house for cameras. Yes I have a headache, yes I didn't sleep well.... and yes I have an email inbox with plenty of requests for help.......
But I'm not going to refuse......
I'm counting down the hours to our new life..... a new stress free life. Well not totally stress free, but a hell of a lot better..... Can't wait. :)
But first I need breakfast..........
Oh AF has packed her bags. Please oh Please let it be the last time I see her. I've also decided that I'm already 7 days PG. Yip, 7 days.... Aint no one gonna tell me otherwise.... I'm PG until proven otherwise......
PS, 5 points goes to the person who notices that my date stamp is wrong!!! Hello Blogger, it's Friday!! Not Thursday!!
Posted by Making Babies at 8:33 AM 0 comments
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Having your feelings isn't an emotional indulgence. It's something that is necessary for your mental and physical health. If you need to, take time off -- and no major decisions.
Why is the universe telling me that I should actually be on a TTC break. I have had 4 people over the last week tell me to take time off, now I open my email and get a star sign that says take time off.
BLAH to you!!! To all of you!!!
Ok, we won't make any major decisions regarding TTC at the moment. That has to wait till January when our Medical is back on track. But I have decided to give the SMEP another shot this cycle. I just have to inform my DH about this. I wonder if he will need much convincing…….
Posted by Making Babies at 9:03 AM 0 comments
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Crash landing.....
I woke up this morning to a beautiful temp of 37.00 I was grinning ear to ear. Wow 37.00 and no spotting. WOW......
I walk to the fridge to get something to drink. I think to myself, should I test... not wait till tomorrow. No wait, maybe I should. No wait rather till tomorrow. Rather just go P and climb back into bed.
While sitting on the loo, I think... hmmm maybe I should just test.... no wait......
Then I realize, AF has arrived in full glory. CRASH LANDING.....
So instead of grabbing the HPT next to me, I was searching for pads in the cabinet.
Hello cycle 30 TTC. Flucking 30.......
On a side note. If you haven't joined our Making Babies Network yet. PLEASE DO :) I would love to see the place grow and grow and become more interactive. There are already such awesome ladies on the network.
Posted by Making Babies at 9:41 AM 0 comments
Friday, August 15, 2008
Scared huh???
Yeah, AF you scared aren't you? I have even managed to keep your sister at bay too. Or is SPOT hiding just down the road??? Or are you both having a good giggle at my expense?.... Making me think that maybe just maybe you both will be a no show this cycle??
Please tell me you have bought a one way ticket to Bermuda!!!!!! PLEASE!!! I hear the weather is lovely there this time of year.
I'm NOT getting excited, believe me. I've been down this road way too many times. So here is me not being excited, but still having a little bit of hope. A tiny microscopic bit of hope.
Posted by Making Babies at 1:52 PM 0 comments
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Trying to lure her...
Yip, AF's evil twin sister SPOT. She paid me a visit on Monday and yesterday. But has seemed to have disappeared today. I'm attempting to lure her back out by publicly announcing that she is gone!!!
Come on I dare you SPOT, I freaking dare you!!!!! It's 12dpo(I think) and 3 BFNs later, and you thought I wasn't counting days this cycle hey…. Well some things can't be helped. My TTC obsession is one of them.
I had this strange thought yesterday. You know people say "it will happen when it is meant to happen"…. Well, if that is true…. Then I should be happy with every month/cycle that passes, cause then I'm getting closer and closer to when it's supposed to happen right??? LOL …………. Yeah, did I fool any of you into thinking I'm ok with another failed cycle???? Or that I'm going to fall for that sh*t, when it's meant to happen……. LOL It was meant to happen 29 cycles ago…. That's when….
Ok, I'm going to click on submit post now… any second now… come on SPOT, I dare you…..
Posted by Making Babies at 12:47 PM 1 comments
Monday, August 11, 2008
We had such a great weekend. I'm a hotel loving kind of girl. You know I need all the creature comforts. I don't do well in the bush. Until this weekend…..We went away with M&H and another Friend Couple (L&F). To a farm about 40km outside of Britz. It was M's bday on Friday. This is the first time we have actually done something for his bday. We usually have a small braai or dinner. But this year it was a glorious weekend away.
Our accommodation was 3 old but very comfortable caravans with a lovely area in the middle for making huge bon fires. We were at the end of the farm, so we were pretty much secluded. Very peaceful. Every now and then some horses would pass by and stop for a chat. Our evenings consisted of sitting around the fire playing Poker or 30 Seconds. We even managed to get a good game of charades in. All good fun. I think I got over the fear of making my name ass in front of other people. Our days consisted of food and water fights. Of which McK hid away, didn't want to know anything. She was so disgusted that we adults could throw cupcakes at each other. And you should have seen her face when DH threw a bucket of ice cold water on me. I think she thought I was going to do some seriously bodily harm to her daddy. Which I almost did.
McK thoroughly enjoyed the whole weekend.. She was in her element. I'm so proud of her. Not once did she complain or throw a tantrum. She was on her very best behavior. Now those that know, my lil angel doesn't swear at all. She will give you the evil eye if you say a naughty word. Saturday morning after watching the sun rise, we were sitting on a blanket colouring in. Every now and then this strange smell would come over the dam. So I say to DH, "Sjoe, but it does smell a bit hey?"… McK looks up from her colouring book, and says "maybe it's from the crocodile crap…" DH and I almost fell off our chairs. It was so funny. Then when she realized what she had said, she went blood red with embarrassment and proceeded to tell me that she meant crocodile poo. And that crap is an adult word…… "Since mommy uses crap a lot"…… Note to self, watch your language usage in front of the child.
Oh and I Marcelle, peed behind a tree…. not once… but about 15 times. Now this is BIG for me. P-ing in the open bush. What an accomplishment. I don't think I'll ever be the same again LOL.
Here are a few more photos from the weekend… Enjoy….
Posted by Making Babies at 10:16 AM 1 comments
Thursday, August 7, 2008
I found a fertility clinic in our area. I didn't even know they existed until I got a link from a TTC friend. They seem like a really good clinic and from what I hear very affordable. Which we all know is a plus factor. I'm thinking about making an appointment to see them in January.
I hate changing doctors, but maybe it's time to go see a proper FS. This is a big decision to make. I always said we would stop our TTC journey if Clomid didn't work. I don't know if we want to go to the next level. Not that I have anything against the next level : ) Just that I never pictured myself almost 2 and a half years down the TTC road with still no BFP.
A little voice in me, keeps whispering maybe you should just make peace with the fact that you aren't going to have another child. Or that it will eventually happen, just be patient. I don't know any more.
I'm feeling rather down today. But it's got nothing really to do with TTC itself. Just today in general. Things that have happened in the last 24 hours. I just keep telling myself that in 3 weeks it will be better. Just 3 more weeks.
Posted by Making Babies at 8:35 AM 1 comments
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
A change is as good.....
as a holiday. Do you think this applies to blogs too???
Sorry I got tired of the big purple rose. Needed a change. :)
Posted by Making Babies at 11:18 AM 2 comments
Monday, August 4, 2008
Enough with winter already
We had such awesome weather the whole weekend, only to wake up to a cold miserable winter's day today. I really thought winter was over with. I guess there is nothing really I can do about it hey?? Just hoping it clears up for our weekend away that is coming up this Friday.
I'm so tired this morning. DH was up just after 3am. He was supposed to only get up at 4:30am, since he has meetings in Johannesburg today. But for some reason he couldn't sleep. I still can't believe how much noise he makes. Toilets flushing, bath water running, doors swinging open and shut. Coughing, more coughing, more coughing. Luckily McK slept through it all. I was only to glad to see him go at 5am, so that I could just get an extra hours sleep….Madness I tell you. If it was me, I would have tip toed around the house and not made peep….
The weekend was so much fun. We spent most of it with our dear friends M&H. Saturday we had a fish braai at their place and played some poker. I'm pretty sure I would have won if H didn't start nailing us on each round. Good game though!!
Yesterday we met up at this pub which has their own "beach section". While sitting there you feel like you are on some island. We just needed some breaking waves to complete the scene. All the tables and chairs (seating area) is on beach sand. Makes you want to take off your shoes and play with the sand between your toes. McK had a great time entertaining herself with stones, bags and sand. She was just too cute.
Thanks M&H for such a cool weekend. We needed that little distraction. Of course this weekend coming up is going to be fantastic too. If this weather will just play along.
On the TTC front, I don't know hey…… It's not going to happen this month. I don't know when I Oed, and we have definitely missed the boat. So I don't think we stand any chance at all. And I'm ok with that. It's going to be a welcomed change not to be obsessing. So hello 2ww….. I won't be taking too much notice of you…..
Our Making Babies Network is also growing nicely. Although I would really like to see more members soon. Please visit Making Babies to register.... :)
Posted by Making Babies at 9:19 AM 0 comments


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We are well stocked with Yamaha Parts and Yamaha Accessories for your Yamaha Star motorcycle, Yamaha dirt bike, and Yamaha scooters. We carry all of the Yamaha 2 wheel fun. We are also one of the largest Yamaha ATV and Yamaha Side by Side dealers in the northwest, stocking all of the Yamaha ATV Grizzly's, and the all new Yamaha Viking side by side. We are the northwest's leading provider of everything Yamaha.
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Apps could soon be subject to the same classification regulation as film and video games in Australia, if a new draft of reforms from the committee reviewing the National Classification Scheme is accepted.
Coming from a Liberal party-dominated committee, the recommendations carry more than a little irony, given that last week a former party staffer boasted of the party's non "nanny state" attitude to censorship.
The inquiry, the first major review of the National Classification Scheme since it was introduced over 15 years ago, has received 70 submissions from organizations and individuals.
Handing down its recommendations, the committee has recognized the outdated nature of the classification system but has called for a blanket approach to updating the regulations in light of the development of cross platform content across mobile, web and other devices.
"The committee recommends that, to the extent possible, the National Classification Scheme should apply equally to all content, regardless of the medium of delivery," it states.
In the committee's view, the National Classification Scheme is" flawed", and cannot be sustained in its current form. It also calls for an end to co-regulatory and self-regulatory systems branding them as "far from adequate, particularly given the increasing convergence of media."
It also proposes increasing the powers of the Classification Review Board, making it the final arbiter across all media.
The committee also recommends that state-based classification powers be passed upwards to the national government.
The review committee comprises a Liberal-heavy team featuring four Liberal party senators, two Labor party senators and one senator from the Greens. The Committee is chaired by Liberals Senator Guy Barnett.
Former Liberal party staffer and Institute of Public Affairs Associate Editor James Paterson recently publicly defended the Liberal's as the party for the Gen Y crowd as "the Liberal Party doesn't adopt a nanny state solution to every perceived social problem. You will never see Liberals out there proposing an internet filter."
The two Labor members of the committee, Senators Trish Crossin and Mark Furner, have subsequently filed a report stating that they "cannot support many of the proposals in the committee's report." The duo believe that an impending review of the Scheme from the Australian Law Reform Commission is the most appropriate forum for reforms, rather than the Senate review.
Due to the increased scope of the Classification Scheme's scope the review team also recommends an expansion in the size of, and funding for, the Classification Liaison Scheme, including provision for representatives to be based in each state and territory. ®


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Berkeley Half Marathon (Half | 10 mile | 10K) Register at www.berkeleyhalf.com
Berkeley Half Marathon
Sunday, November 24, 2013 from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM (PST)
Join us for the inagural Berkeley Half Marathon this November--(the Sunday before Thanksgiving weekend)! We've created a point-to-point race that highlights Berkeley's favorite spots--from the city center to UC Berkeley and the beautiful waterfront. Choose from three events: a 1/2 marathon, 10 mile, and 10K race.
The race starts at Civic Center Park, wraps around the west side of the UC Berkeley Campus, then continues straight to the heart of funky Berkeley on University Ave, passing local shops and parks on the way to the marina. At mile 4, the course turns south along the waterfront, along the Berkeley Marina, turns around to head north to Cesar Chavez Park, looping around the park, exposing breathtaking sights of the SF skyline and the Bay. Finally, the route continues north for a finish and celebration at Golden Gate Fields.
Our mission is to provide a platform that celebrates the uniqueness of Berkeley and inspires others to live a life of health, wellness, and greatness.
In order to purchase these tickets in installments, you'll need an Eventbrite account. Log in or sign up for a free account to continue.


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Review: Pioneer SE-MJ591 Headphone
Pioneer's gotta be a little PO'ed. The storied Japanese company has been making headphones for more than 50 years, yet it's been overshadowed by upstart brands like Beats, HiFiMan, V-Moda, Phiaton, and others. But Pioneer's fighting back with a freshly designed new line, in which the SE-MJ591 on-ear headphone is one of the top models.
The SE-MJ591 is a little unusual. The included case and fold-up design suggest it's designed for business travel. Sleek chrome-on-black styling and a $300 price tag slant it more toward 30- or 40-something biztravelers than 20-something aspirers. Yet it lacks the one feature most desired by the frequent flyer set: noise cancelation. What's going on here?
To get a broader perspective on the SE-MJ591, I brought in two of our frequent headphone testers, L.A. voice actress Lauren Dragan and jazz musician Will Huff. Lauren compared used her recently acquired PSB M4U 2 headphones as a reference, while Will and I used various other headphones we had on hand. I later compared the SE-MJ591 to a well-regarded competitor, the $230 V-Moda Crossfade M-80. Lauren used an iPhone as her source, and I used my iPod touch and my Motorola Droid Pro. Will and I also listened with my Denon DVD-2900 DVD/SACD player feeding a Rane HC6S professional headphone amp. The SE-MJ591 performed similarly no matter what sources we used, so it will work fine with just about anything you want to hook it into.
Pioneer definitely got the look and construction right. The softly padded earcups swivel to assure a good fit. The panelists didn't complain (as they often do with on-ears) at all about the comfort. I wore the SE-MJ591 on a flight from L.A. to Houston, and found it to be one of the more comfortable on-ears I've worn. I needed a 2-minute break after about 60 to 80 minutes of wearing it, but the fact that I could keep it on through two average-length albums says a lot.
OTOH, I really missed having noise cancellation. The roar of the 757's engines rumbled right through the SE-MJ591's earpieces, requiring me to turn the music up a lot louder than I'd have preferred.
Plane Sound
On the plane, listening mostly to jazz stuff like the Pat Martino Quartet's burning new release Undeniable, the SE-MJ591 sounded pretty good. It seemed to have an upper midrange emphasis that brought out more detail in Martino's guitar — a good thing, 'cause Martino's recorded sound is often too dull for my taste. "Sister Andrea," from the Mahavishnu Orchestra's The Lost Trident Sessions, sounded even better, the SE-MJ591 nicely articulating the dueling wails of guitarist John McLaughlin and violinist Jerry Goodman, as well as Rick Laird's tight bass line.
Switching to more demanding pop and rock recordings, and listening in a less-noisy environment, spotlighted the SE-MJ591's unusual tonal balance. "There's not much bass, and what bass there is really falls off at the lower frequencies," Lauren complained. "The higher frequencies dominate, so the sound is really in-your-face and the attack is overpowering." Will also complained about an emphasis in the mids and highs.
I found vocal reproduction especially problematic for the SE-MJ591. Vocalists ranging from Bebel Gilberto to Ron Sexsmith to Donald Fagen exhibited a filtered effect, almost as it they were singing through toilet-paper tubes. (Will described the effect almost exactly the same way.) The acoustic guitars on the Chesky CD The Coryells had a plasticky, toylike sound. I got little sense of ambience and "air" no matter what I played. The bass had an overly punchy, high-Q sound, as if one narrow resonant band was dominating and the rest was largely missing.
A lot of headphones tuned for hip-hop and rock sound bad with pop music, so I switched to Mötley Crüe's "Girls Girls Girls." No better — the sound still seemed strangely filtered, as if it'd been run through an EQ with extreme settings.
Compared to the V-Moda Crossfade M-80, a well-regarded on-ear model that lists for $70 less, the SE-MJ591 sounded unnatural and relatively thin. Voices sounded much more natural through the M-80, and its treble sounded smoother, lusher, and less harsh. The M-80's bass is a bit much for me, but I'd rather have a bit too much bass than too little, and my guess is that most people would agree.
To measure the SE-MJ591, I used a G.R.A.S.43AG ear/cheek simulator, a Clio FW audio analyzer, and a Musical Fidelity V-Can headphone amplifier. I experimented with slight differences in position of the earpieces to get the best seal of the headphone on the cheek plate and the most representative frequency response curves. As with many on-ear models, I had to use the 43AG's clamp mechanism to get an adequate seal of the earpieces on the simulator's phony rubber ears.
The frequency response measurements of the SE-MJ591 are unusual. Although the difficulty of getting a good seal on the simulator with on-ear headphones makes any bass response measurement ballpark at best, this does seem to be an unusually bass-shy on-ear headphone. Most headphones have a response peak around 2 to 3 kHz, but on the SE-MJ591, it's much lower: 1.5 kHz. The treble response appears somewhat attenuated, although it didn't sound that way, probably because the lack of bass counterbalanced the measured lack of highs. Adding 70 ohms output impedance to the V-Can's 5-ohm output impedance to simulate the effects of using a low-quality headphone amp has no significant effect on frequency response.
Total harmonic distortion (THD) at 100 dBA is exceptionally low, under 1% at all frequencies (even at 10 Hz—wow). Impedance is essentially flat, running between 30 and 33 ohms. Isolation is pretty good for a passive on-ear headphone: about -10 dB at 1 kHz, then dropping to -15 to -25 dB between 1.5 kHz and 15 kHz.
I measured sensitivity with a 1 mW signal at the rated 32 ohms at 105.7 dB from 300 Hz to 10 kHz, and 107.7 dB from 300 Hz to 6 kHz.
Bottom Line
Opinions about headphone sound are personal, and we can't say you won't like the SE-MJ591, but none of us enjoyed its sound. It's a nice design, we just wish it had a more neutral, natural sound.
Learn more about these products here.


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Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure Season 1 Episode 2 (S01E02) - Watch Online
The adventures of Rapunzel, Flynn Rider and their friends in the time between the film, 'Tangled' & the TV-Movie 'Tangled: Before Ever After' to the short film, 'Tangled Ever After'.
Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure Season 1 Episode 2 (S01E02) Links
Do not miss the latest episodes of all the hottest TV shows you enjoy watching. They are waiting for you here at Watchseriestv.tv. You can watch the episodes that have been updated the most recently, but you can also go back to some older episodes that you missed or want to see again. There is a grand collection of popular TV shows and all their seasons are included, with all the episodes they contain that are neatly arranged so you can find everything you want to see with a lot of ease.


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Memorial Tribute in Mo. for Military Working Dog
FORT LEONARD WOOD (AP) - A Missouri Army installation is remembering a bomb-sniffing dog killed last month in Afghanistan with military honors.
Tuesday's memorial for the Irish Setter named Tygo included a ceremonial rifle volley and the playing of taps. Tygo was killed Nov. 10 by an improvised explosive device.
Tygo was trained to detect explosives for the Army at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. From there, he went to Fort Leonard Wood and Afghanistan.
Fort Leonard Wood described Tygo in a news release as "always steadfast and ready" and said he had a "fierce tenacity for detection."
The award-winning dog is credited with finding numerous caches of weapons and explosive-making devices. Fort Leonard Wood said Tygo "saved countless lives."
The dog's handler, Spc. Seth Rodenberger, spoke during the service.


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Lil Dee God's Gift (Feat. Nesby Phips) - Life I Live [New Orleans Unsigned Artist]
Lil Dee God's Gift "Dee Day" Mixtape Hosted By Don Cannon
http://www.datpiff.com/Lil-Dee-Dee-Day-Gods-Gift-mixtape.405880.html @lildeegodsgift @crg_films @nesbyphips
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Please take a look at the beautiful valley of Healey, Broadley, Whitworth, Facit, Leavengreave, Shawforth and surrounding area. Everything you need to know from local attractions, business, sports and recreation, local maps, local photographs, local history, and where to go .
Whitworth is a small town and civil parish within the Borough of Rossendale in Lancashire, England. It is set within the valley foothills of the Pennines, between the towns of Bacup, to the north, and Rochdale, to the south.
It has a population of around 7,263. Whitworth spans the entire length of the Valley, an area of 7 square miles (18.1 km2). It consists of the areas of Healey, Broadley, Whitworth, Facit , Leavengreave and Shawforth and more that are linked by the A671 road, part of the great turnpike built in the 18th century, linking together with a number of smaller hamlets.
Healey is a beautiful place in the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, Greater Manchester, England. It covers Shawclough, Syke and Nook Farm, as well as the rest of the land known as Healey on the right hand side of Whitworth Road (A671) after Gale Street up to Healey Corner (the Whitworth / Rochdale boundary).
Please see places to visit to see many of the areas within this wonderful valley.
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i remba the dais when on asianmix we had POOL tournaments
i wont say much of my performance
Any gamers here?
Intrigued by the latest technology? Stay up to speed and discuss games, gadgets, computers etc right here.
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Nira Chamberlain uses maths to solve difficult problems in engineering and industry. He tells us how solving these problems can be like fighting an invisible boxer, and how he loves the feeling of having succeeded — because "the harder the battle, the sweeter the victory!"
Plus Blog
Vicky Neale loves maths because it's a real challenge. Find out about two of her favourite mathematical experiences and why she thinks that maths is an adventure that requires some daring.
Carola-Bibiane Schönlieb has a fascinating job: she works on the mathematics behind image analysis. It finds application in all sorts of areas, from medical imaging, such as MRI scans, to forest ecology, which sees scientists trying to gain information about forests from pictures taken from the air.
In this brief interview Carola tells us why she likes doing maths, recalls some of her favourite mathematical moments, and explains why creativity is essential in mathematics.
You can read more about her work in What the eye can't see and Restoring profanity.
Mathematicians often say that being creative is hugely important in maths. But why? We asked mathematician Katie Steckles, who told us about her favourite mathematical moments and why imagination is everything.
Mathematical moments is a series of short interviews with mathematicians about their work and the role of creativity in maths. This is the first interview of the series — stay tuned for more! The video will also appear on our sister site Wild Maths, which encourages students to explore maths beyond the classroom and is designed to nurture mathematical creativity.
It's March 14th, which in the US is written as 3/14 — and since 3.14 are the first three digits of that most famous of mathematical constants, , today is celebrated internationally as pi day.
How many revolutions will the smaller circle make when rolling around the bigger one?
The number is the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. To celebrate this lovely number, here's a little puzzle to ponder. Imagine a circle with radius 1 cm rolling completely along the circumference of a circle with radius 4 cm. How many rotations does the smaller circle make?
The circumference of a circle with radius is , so the circumference of a circle with radius would be . Since
it seems the answer must be four revolutions. But that's not true! The answer is actually 5! Can you figure out why?
We found out about this curious question from Yutaka Nishiyama, a mathematical friend in Japan. You can read about the answer in his article Circles rolling on circles. Happy puzzling!
The video above is one of our favourite talks from the last 12 months: it's by Sydney Padua, graphic artist, animator and creator of the wonderful Thrilling adventures of Lovelace and Babbage. Padua's talk, part of the Ada Lovelace Symposium in December 2015, explains how she used historical newspaper reports, letters and mathematical text books, as well as her extraordinary skill and imagination, to create the comic series featuring mathematicians Ada Lovelace and Charles Babbage in a parallel universe where they built a giant calculating machine to fight crime and have adventures. The comics originally appeared online but now are also available in a beautiful book which we are currently savouring. Stay tuned for a review soon. As well as writing the thrilling adventures, Padua also built the first virtual analytical engine (essentially the first ever computer, conceived by Charles Baggage with lots if input from Lovelace) in 3D animation software — a beautiful sight to behold, which elicited gasps of admiration from the mathematicians, computer scientists and historians in the audience.
The Symposium featured many fascinating talks: you can read some highlights in Analysing Ada and watch many of them on the Symposium website. Our favourites include Judith Grabiner's talk on the radical changes in the 19th century that produced new ideas of space, revolutionising art, making relativity possible and helping create modernism, and the talk by June Barrow-Green about the fascinating stories you can find in mathematical archives.
One of our other favourite lectures of the last year was by Nina Snaith on her work on the fascinating connection between the Riemann Hypothesis, an unsolved problem about the distribution of prime numbers, and chaotic quantum systems. (You can find out more in her LMS popular lecture.) We saw Snaith's talk at It all adds up, the London Mathematical Society's 2015 Women in Maths conference. (You can read more about the conference here.)
It all adds up was co-organised by one of our favourite mathematical friends, Vicky Neale, herself a great mathematical speaker who can enthral audiences of all ages and backgrounds. To see how, watch her introduce 7 things you need to know about prime numbers.


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Los Angeles, (April 18, 2010) – Screen Actors Guild National Board of Directors, meeting in a two-day plenary in Los Angeles, appointed President Ken Howard as Chair of the Guild's TV/Theatrical Joint Wages and Working (W&W) Conditions Plenary and Negotiating Committees.
Approved unanimously, the action states:
"The National Board appoints President Ken Howard the SAG National Chair of the Joint TV/Theatrical W&W Plenary Committee and the SAG National Chair of the Joint TV/Theatrical Negotiating Committee, who shall be a voting member of both committees."
In other actions, the board confirmed the composition of the Screen Actors Guild portion of the Joint TV/Theatrical W&W Plenary and Negotiating Committees and approved a set of general parameters for the commencement of the Joint W&W Process. The committees will be constituted by the Guild's division boards in the coming months.
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Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express.
Lampard eyes early European progress
Frank Lampard urged Chelsea to try to seal their place in the Champions League knockout phase with two games to spare after helping them beat FC Nordsjaelland 4-0 and take control of Group E.
The European champions left it late to put their Danish counterparts to the sword in Copenhagen on Tuesday night, scoring three times in the final 11 minutes of a flattering 4-0 win, with Juan Mata netting his second goal of the match and David Luiz and Ramires chipping in with goals as well.
Back-to-back victories could cement Chelsea's qualification for the last-16. And Lampard, who returned to captain the Blues after failing to start any of the previous three matches, said: "It is important now that, our next couple of games, we try and get wins again and then we will have that foot into the next stage."
Chelsea may not have been in a position to do that had they tossed away another lead in a Champions League match, something they threatened to do at the Parken Stadium.
Roberto Di Matteo's side blew a two-goal advantage in their Group E opener against Juventus, while last season saw them score first in all of their opening four away matches but fail to win any of them.
Lampard added: "It was very important to win this considering we drew our first game. What happened last year shows how tough it is to win away.
"We didn't win away in the group stages last season but we went on to win the competition. There are a lot of ways to skin a cat."
The 34-year-old admitted the way Chelsea became "lax" on Tuesday night after Juan Mata put them ahead was a concern.
"A little bit, but I think it is always hard to dominate a Champions League game away from home from start to finish," he said.
"We played Genk last year and drew 1-1, a team not so fancied in the big picture but they can be tough games. I don't think they will give Juventus and Shakthar easy games either."


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A Texas woman was arrested after police said she threatened the lives of restaurant workers over a corn dog.
Charmelle R. Henry, 45, entered the Midland restaurant and threw 75 cents at workers, demanding a corn dog, according to the Midland Reporter-Telegram.
When she wasn't happy with what she received, she threw the corn dog at them and demanded one that was not microwaved, police said.
Workers noticed Henry had a knife in her hand after giving her a second corn dog.
According to police, she told the workers she would "stab (them) in cold blood" unless she got another corn dog.
She also began stabbing the counter with the knife, Midland TV station KWES reported.
Workers called police after Henry began trying to jump through a window to get to them, according to an arrest report obtained by the Reporter-Telegram.
She now faces two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.